Aviation Management Plan. Wyoming State Forestry Division. April 2005

Transcription

1 Aviation Management Plan Wyoming State Forestry Division April 2005

2 Aviation Management Plan Wyoming State Forestry Division 2005 Prepared by: Reviewed by: Reviewed by: Les Koch, Forest Health Specialist Fixed-Wing Manager Special Use Wyoming State Forestry Division Chris Fallbeck, Assistant District Forester Helitack Manager Wyoming State Forestry Division Erik Johnson, US Forest Service Aerial Survey Program Manager, Region 2 Don Artley Date: Date: Date: Date: Reviewed by: Approved by: Hank Dominguez, US Forest Service Helicopter Operations Specialist, Region 2 Date: Date: Approved by: Bill Crapser State Forester Wyoming State Forestry Division Date:

3 Introduction This three-section plan serves as a statement for Wyoming State Forestry Division s (WSFD) aviation management policies and procedures for fixed-wing operations, helicopter operations, and other aviation operations. The content serves as a guide for WSFD personnel to follow prior to and during all aviation activities. The three sections are as follows: Section 1: Fixed-wing Section 2: Helicopter Operations Section 3: Other Aviation Operations. The Appendix includes Dispatch Center information and WSFD s Aviation Management Plan is also available online at

4 Table of Contents Section I Fixed Wing I. Background Safety Definition of Aerial Surveys History II. Characteristics of an Aerial Survey Timing Flight vendor Aircraft Speed and Altitude Flight Patterns Reporting Cooperators and Customers Survey Areas and Acreages Limitations of Aerial Survey III. Personnel and Qualifications Training IV. Aircraft and Pilots Aircraft and Pilot Specifications Pilot Flight and Duty Limitations Employee Responsibility Night Flights Reserve Fuel Flight Hazard Maps Electronic Sketchmap Equipment V. Communications Scheduling Notifications to Local Authorities Preflight Briefing and Post Flight Debriefing Pilot Briefing Flight Following Reporting Fires VI. General Flying Concerns Aerial Observer List VII. Aircraft Payment Procedures VIII. Aviation Safety Communique IX. Risk Management X. Rescue Operations

5 Section II Helicopter Operations Section III Other Aviation Operations Appendix A Dispatch Centers

6 Section I Fixed Wing I. Background Safety: The top priority for Wyoming State Forestry Division s (WSFD) Aerial Detection Survey Program is safety. Safety awareness is a mental attitude and individual commitment fostered by proper management and supervisory procedures. WSFD management must be a partner in aviation safety to ensure that the standards and procedures established are understood and followed. Procedures and practices are meant to prevent aviation mishaps from occurring and to support WSFD s institutional concern for safety. Aviation safety cannot be legislated or mandated; it can only be successfully accomplished by fostering and inspiring an attitude in which aviation safety is the foremost priority. An undeviating and persistent commitment to professional conduct by everyone involved in the aviation program is paramount to achieving mishap prevention and successful risk management. All WSFD personnel involved in the aviation program play a role in the successful and safe outcome of aviation activities. However, management is responsible for achieving safety goals. This can only be accomplished through awareness and uncompromising support by management. Definition of Aerial Surveys: WSFD uses aerial detection surveys as an economical and efficient method of detecting, monitoring, and evaluating recognizable insect, disease, and other disturbances to privately and federally owned forest ecosystems. The purpose of aerial surveys is to observe forest change events from an airplane and document them manually onto a USGS 30X60 1: scale topographic map; also known as sketchmapping. The observer views a particular forest change event such as bark beetle mortality and delineates the affected area onto a map to record its size, shape, and location as accurately as possible. Attributes such as host, causal agent, symptom, and an estimate of intensity or number of trees affected are recorded. A high-winged aircraft providing good visibility and capable of flying at relatively slow speeds, a pilot who has a sincere interest in safety and has experience flying mountainous terrain, and a sketchmapper who has the ability to relate forest damage observed on the ground to features on a map without experiencing the debilitating effects of motion sickness are needed for a successful survey. Aerial observers need the ability to ride in an aircraft for three to six hours a day, a desire to participate in aerial survey activities, have an interest in aviation, good eyesight with normal color vision and depth perception, a background in forestry and the ability to identify tree species in the survey area, a working knowledge of forest insects and diseases, and the ability to understand a map and coordinate aircraft location with the corresponding map location. History: WSFD participates in the National Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) Program. The purpose of FHM is to annually monitor, assess, and report on conditions and trends of the nation s forested ecosystems. This is done in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, State Foresters, Bureau of Land Management, and other federal agencies and some universities. WSFD specifically participates in the aerial survey component of FHM. Wyoming s forest health specialist is the State contact for the FHM program. WSFD has conducted aerial surveys in Wyoming since Aerial surveys have been recognized for over 50 years as an efficient and economical method of detecting and monitoring forest change events over large forested areas. This is a relatively low-cost remote sensing method that provides a coarse, landscape-level overview of forest conditions. Aerial surveys can be used as the first step of a multi-tiered process of detecting, monitoring, and evaluating changes in forest conditions. Utilizing other remote sensing and ground sampling techniques to gather additional data on significant forest events or change observed from above adds further credibility to aerial survey results. II. Characteristics of an Aerial Survey Timing: The main insect and disease aerial survey season in Wyoming typically occurs between the end of June and the middle of September. WSFD usually conducts their surveys starting in mid to late July through early to mid August. The aerial survey is timed to capture the overlapping biological windows of insect and disease signatures (visible foliage discoloration). Survey days typically begin at 8:00 AM or when the sun has risen high enough as to

7 not blind the aerial observer when looking east. Landings are usually scheduled every two to three hours for rest periods and a landing is always scheduled for lunch. Surveys are finished during mid to late afternoon or sooner if inclement weather is encountered. Special surveys outside the biological windows are occasionally conducted. Flight vendor: WSFD has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Wyoming Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) as their flight vendor. CAP provides a Cessna Skylane 182 airplane and pilot. WSFD pays an hourly aircraft rate, fuel, and the pilot s overnight travel expenses. Civil Air Patrol is a federally chartered corporation and the volunteer civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. They fulfill non-combat programs and missions for the United States Air Force. Aircraft Speed and Altitude: WSFD aerial survey speeds are roughly 90 to 100 knots and altitude above ground level is between 500 to 2000 feet. Flight patterns: There are two flight patterns WSFD uses when conducting aerial survey: (1) contour or drainage flight pattern and (2) grid or parallel-line flight pattern. Aerial surveys are flown in a contour or drainage flight pattern when the airplane follows well-defined aspects of the terrain such as river drainages or ridgelines. This pattern is flown when enough topographical relief can be seen from the air to help guide the aerial observer over the survey area. This method is not recommended in poorly defined terrain. Grid or parallel-line flying patterns are flown straight in cardinal directions in a back-and-forth pattern. This method is generally flown in flat, poorly defined terrain. Reporting: WSFD sends finalized maps to the Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team (FHTET) in Ft. Collins, Colorado. FHTET digitizes the maps, enters them into a national geographic information system (GIS) database, and posts them online at Cooperators and Customers: The US Forest Service also conducts aerial surveys of National Forests and other federal lands in Regions 1, 2, and 4 in Wyoming. Aerial survey results are shared with private landowners and land managers, WSFD District Foresters, USDA Forest Service s Forest Health Management and Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team (FHTET).

8 Survey Areas and Acreages: WSFD surveys slightly over one million acres of State, private, and federal lands annually. These areas are scheduled for survey by WSFD and the US Forest Service on a rotational basis: Location Forested Acres Campbell, Crook, and Weston Counties (Black Hills National Forest) 1,128,825 North Bighorn Mountains (Bighorn National Forest) 723,365 South Bighorn Mountains (Bighorn National Forest) 260,065 Rattlesnake Hills 105,703 Pine Ridge 52,264 Hat Creek Pine Breaks 222,596 North Laramie Range (Medicine Bow National Forest) 269,731 Middle Laramie Range (Medicine Bow National Forest) 342,614 South Laramie Range (Medicine Bow National Forest) 131,110 Sierra Madres Mountains and Snowy Range (Medicine Bow National Forest) 870,386 North Slope of Uinta Mountains (Wasatch National Forest) 103,089 Shirley, Ferris, Green, and Crooks Mountains 130,176 Shoshone National Forest 1,796,697 Bridger, Teton, Targhee, and Caribou National Forests 2,679,305 Little Mountain 12,018 Pine Mountain 18,000 Yellowstone National Park 871,942 Bridger Mountains 115,200 Lysite Mountain 95,360 Owl Creek Mountains 130,000 Granite Mountains 23,040 Limitations of Aerial Survey: There are certain limitations as to how the date obtained from aerial sketchmap surveys can be used considering airplane survey speed set at 100 knots flown at an altitude from 1,000 to 3,000 feet above ground level. This gives the observer little time to recognize, classify, and record all of the activity seen. Due to these circumstances, data should only be regarded as a snapshot of landscape level forest health and/or forest change condition. No two aerial observers can be expected to record the causal agent, acres, and intensity in exactly the same way over the same topographical area. A single aerial observer will undoubtedly record the same area differently if flown at two separate time frames. Differences in skill, pilot experience, and weather conditions lead to variable survey results. As with all remotely sensed data, some amount of ground truthing is required before the data can be considered reliable. III. Personnel and Qualifications Bill Crapser Wyoming State Forestry Division State Forester Les Koch Wyoming State Forestry Division Forest Health Specialist Fixed Wing Manager Special Use 2 nd LT Mike Gray Wyoming Wing Director of Operations Civil Air Patrol - Pilot Colonel Bill Morton Wyoming Wing Commander Civil Air Patrol

9 The areas listed below were aerially surveyed by WSFD s forest health specialist during the respective year North, Middle, and South Laramie Range Mountains from the Colorado/Wyoming border north to Casper Hat Creek Pine Breaks in Niobrara County north of Lusk, eastern Converse county, northwest Goshen county and northeast Platte County Pine Ridge in northwest Converse County, northeast Natrona County, and southeast Johnson County Crook and Weston Counties (Wyoming side of the Black Hills National Forest) Campbell County North slope of the Uinta Mountains in southern Uinta County Little and Pine Mountains in southern Sweetwater County Southern Bighorn Mountains (south of Highway 16) in western Johnson County, eastern Washakie County, and northwest Natrona County Bridger Mountains and Lysite Mountain in southeast Hot Springs County and northeast Fremont County Owl Creek Mountains outlining the Hot Springs County and Fremont County boundary in the Wind River Indian Reservation Granite Mountains in southeast Fremont County and southwest Natrona County Rattlesnake Hills in southwest Natrona County 2005 Northern Bighorn Mountains in northwest Johnson County, western Sheridan County, and eastern Big Horn County Crooks, Green, Ferris, and Shirley Mountains stretching from southeastern Fremont County into northern Carbon County Training: WSFD s forest health specialist has attended Aerial Survey Aviation Safety and Management in 2000 in Bedford, New Hampshire and 2005 in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. This training is hosted by the US Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, Forest Health Protection and is applicable to the goals of the National Aviation Safety Council. This training will be attended again by Course subjects include:

10 Aviation Safety and Management Conducting a Mission Aviation Administration Airplane/helicopter safety Logistics & cost effectiveness Federal aviation regulations Aircraft accident prevention Communications & check-ins Aircraft & pilot procurement Risk management Mission specific safety Agency aviation policy Human factors Pre/post flight communications Pilot & aircraft inspections Crew resource management Airspace issues Incident reporting Aviation chart reading Aircraft crash survival Mountain and canyon flying Aviation management plans A pilot s perspective Aircraft capabilities & limitations Aircraft instrumentation Meteorology and flying weather Preseason Aerial Survey Warm-Up sessions sponsored by the US Forest Service have also been attended by WSFD s forest health specialist. The training sites and respective years are: Buena Vista, Colorado in 1999; Price, Utah in 2000; McCall, Idaho in 2002; Carson City, Nevada in 2003; Sandpoint, Idaho in 2004; and Cody, Wyoming in The Aerial Survey Working Group (ASWG) was formed in November 1996 to provide field level input to Forest Health Protection of the US Forest Service and to provide assistance to others conducting or planning to conduct aerial surveys. This group consists of aerial survey specialists, entomologists, pathologists, unit aviation officers, and aviation specialists. They meet annually to exchange experiences, customs, habits, survey methods, problems, and successes. Attendees come from different US Forest Service Regions, States, and occasionally foreign countries. WSFD s forest health specialist has attended one ASWG meeting (2004 in Tucson, Arizona) and serves as the State representative for the US Forest Service Region 2. The Department of the Interior Office of Aircraft Services and the US Forest Service have provided online Interagency Aviation Training courses applicable to aerial survey at The following online courses were successfully completed by WSFD s forest health specialist: A-101: Aviation Safety A-105: Aviation Life Support and Equipment A-108: Preflight Checklist Briefing and Debriefing A-109: Aviation Radio Use A-112: Mission Planning and Flight Request Process A-113: Crash survival IV. Aircraft and Pilots Aircraft and Pilot Specifications: All aerial survey aircraft used for aerial detection surveys will carry an Aircraft Data Card and must be shown to WSFD personnel upon request. Aircraft must have a high wing, large windows for visibility, and adequate engine power. Suitable airplanes include Cessna models 182, 182RG, 206, 206 turbo, and 210. Other acceptable single engine aircraft include Cessna 185. Acceptable multi-engine airplanes include Partenavia models P-68B, P-68C, and P-68 Observer. Unacceptable single engine, fixed-wing aircraft include Cessna models 152, 170, and 172 due to their lack of power necessary for mountain flying. The Cessna 337 multi-engine high-wing is also unacceptable because of excessive noise and poor visibility. The aircraft must have an internal intercom system equipped with noise canceling headsets, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, seat belts, FM programmable radio, and a Global Positioning Unit for flight following. Light helicopters may also be used for aerial survey missions to more intensively cover a smaller area. Federal Aviation Regulations require that passengers be provided with supplemental oxygen when cabin pressure is above 15,000 feet and pilots are required to have oxygen if cabin pressure reaches 12,500 feet for 30 minutes or

11 more. Personnel with breathing problems should notify the pilot immediately. All pilots who fly WSFD personnel to conduct aerial detection surveys must have an approved and current Pilot Qualification Card. They must be experienced in flying mountainous terrain at slow speeds (approximately 100 knots) and low altitudes (500 to 2000 feet AGL). The pilot must have a sincere interest in safety and work as a team player by positioning the aircraft at the appropriate altitude, speed, and location to give the primary observer the best view. Pilot Flight and Duty Limitations: All pilots flying WSFD personnel must adhere to the following: 8 flight hours per day maximum Maximum of 14 hours on duty per day 10 hours rest per day 2 days off in any 14 consecutive work days Maximum 42 flight hours in any 6 day period If 36 or more flight hours are flown in a 6 day period, the pilot shall be off the following day and a new 6 day cycle begins Employee Responsibility: All WSFD employees have the responsibility to stop any action or activity considered unsafe. Any aircraft passenger or crew member can request termination of any flight when they deem it unsafe for any reason. All WSFD personnel are expected to always use aircraft in a safe and cost-effective manner. Night Flights: No single engine airplane or helicopter flights will be taken at night. Night is considered to be 30 minutes before official sunrise and 30 minutes after official sunset. Flights that begin during day time but will end during night will not be initiated. Reserve Fuel: All day flights require a minimum 30 minute reserve fuel on board upon landing. WSFD personnel should strive to land with 60 minute reserve fuel whenever possible. Fuel gauges and hourly fuel consumption are estimates and need to be regarded with caution. Flight Hazard Maps: Aerial observers and their pilots must review the flight hazard maps to insure awareness of potential hazards while flying, including temporary flight restrictions, military training routes, military operations area, helicopter logging, fire suppression activities, radio towers, and high suspended power lines. Observers will obtain current TFR information from the dispatch center prior to each days flight and avoid these areas during the flight. Electronic sketchmap equipment: Aerial observers and their pilots must ensure all electronic equipment is fasted securely inside the aircraft. WSFD has not utilized any electronic equipment in any of the aerial surveys dating back to V. Communications Scheduling: WSFD will schedule their aerial survey with the respective dispatch center by submitting an Aircraft Flight Request / Flight Schedule. Prior to the aerial survey, WSFD s forest health specialist will also send their survey schedule to the US Forest Service, Region 2, Aerial Survey Program Manager. This schedule will include the dates of the survey, the location of the survey (National Forest, specific mountain range or drainage, County, etc.), the intended dispatch center who is expected to do the flight following, the town or community where the aerial survey crew will stay overnight, the name and telephone number of the motel, and the cellular telephone number of the aerial observer. This schedule is tentative and can easily change due to inclement weather, forest fires, and other scheduling challenges. Dispatch centers will be notified of survey schedule changes. Notifications to Local Authorities: Each County Sheriff and regional US Forest Service office where the survey will take place will be notified. Rural and community residents often become alarmed when survey aircraft fly at low altitudes and typically they notify the County Sheriff. WSFD will provide the County Sheriff and the local US Forest Service office the following: definition and intent of aerial survey, names of pilot and aerial observer, time and date of survey, make and model of aircraft, and color of aircraft.

12 Preflight Briefing and Post Flight Debriefing: The pilot and aerial observer must conduct a safety briefing prior to take-off to ensure there is a collective understanding of the mission objectives. The pilot and aerial observer must also take into consideration the passengers on the flight as well as dispatch center personnel. The aerial observer should also review a map of the flight area with the pilot and discuss the intended flight route and aerial survey pattern. Crew members, pilot, and passengers should engage in a post-flight debriefing as well. Discuss how the flight went and encourage constructive dialogue among the pilot, crew members, and passengers. Pilot Briefing: The pilot must brief all passengers prior to take-off and include the following: No smoking Placement of seat backs Operation of doors Supplemental oxygen Use of seat belts Location of emergency exits Location of fire extinguisher Shut-off procedures for battery and fuel Flight Following: Flight following is primarily considered an ongoing request for search and rescue for the aerial survey crew. Flight following between the aerial survey aircraft and the dispatch center will be conducted for every aerial survey mission. Designated alternatives to dispatch centers must have radio contact with personnel having access to initiating search and rescue. The aerial observer will submit an Aircraft Flight Request/Schedule application to the dispatch center a minimum of one month prior to the actual flight. This application will clearly request flight following with the dispatch center. The aerial observer should strongly consider a personal visit to the assigned dispatch center. This personal contact will familiarize both the aerial observer and dispatch center with each other s mission. Flight following with the dispatch center will be conducted every 15 minutes whether it is ferry time or actual survey work. The aircraft will always report their current latitude and longitude on each flight following transmission. If radio contact is lost for 15 minutes after the next scheduled check-in, the survey will be terminated and the crew will ensure positive communication is made either by landing at an airport and calling from a telephone or by contacting a third party who can immediately relay a message to the dispatch center regarding current status of the survey crew. The Chief of Party will have all current primary and secondary radio frequencies and tones. Positive communication with the next dispatch center will be made prior to terminating flight following with the previous dispatch center. A flight plan may be filed with the Federal Aviation Administration instead of conducting the 15 minute flight following check-ins for long ferry flights (point to point). WSFD s aerial observer will notify dispatch centers via telephone (usually cellular telephone) after each landing and prior to each take-off. WSFD aerial observers will close out their flight plans by notifying dispatch centers when the aerial survey crew is finished for the day. Automated flight following may become an alternate method of flight following in the future for WSFD. Use of automated flight following by WSFD personnel will conform to federal regulations. All WSFD aerial survey flights will be conducted with a programmable FM radio on board the aircraft. The radios will have an external antenna and power source and jack for headphones. WSFD aerial observers are responsible for knowing the appropriate radio frequencies and tones for the areas being surveyed. Reporting Fires: WSFD aerial survey flights will report forest fires to the nearest dispatch center when conditions are safe. Observers will be especially vigilant for other aircraft and notify the dispatch center prior to entering the Fire Traffic Area (FTA). The FTA initial communication zone is defined as 12 nautical miles from the fire. If communication is not established with the dispatch center, WSFD flights will hold seven nautical miles from the fire until communication is established and clearance is given to proceed closer. In addition, dispatch center personnel may request assistance from aerial observers to identify coordinates and provide other information on the fire and fuels situation of reported fires.

13 VI. General Flying Concerns Conducting aerial surveys in mountainous terrain requires special knowledge, experience, and special techniques to reduce the inherent risk of such operations. Rugged terrain, mountain winds, and lack of suitable landing areas in the event of an emergency add to the potential hazards involved. Several safety factors must be considered on a regular basis. Ensure the aircraft has adequate power for the altitude and terrain to be surveyed. Density altitude can drastically reduce aircraft performance capabilities. Familiarity with density altitude factors such as temperature, weight, and altitude is important. Mountains and uneven terrain and approaching weather fronts cause normal winds to become very turbulent. Be familiar with wind speed, wind direction, the effect of terrain interference, and other weather conditions. Fatigue is an important consideration for both pilot and observers. The observer should be sensitive to the pilot s comfort and performance. All personnel on board will watch out for other aircraft, birds, and other hazards. The aerial observer is constantly challenged to position the airplane low enough to detect signatures of forest pests yet high enough to conduct a safe survey. Varying terrain such as ridges and deep canyons while maintaining a suitable safe altitude above ground level deserves special consideration during aerial survey missions. Hearing protection is an important consideration. Noise canceling headsets are highly recommended for all survey flights and ear plugs are recommended if a headset is not worn. Weather changes and mechanical problems can cause schedule changes and unplanned landings. Adequate personal gear such as extra clothing, rain gear, water, food, and personal necessities must be carried at all times. A minimum survival kit is required in each aircraft. The primary observer and passengers will observe the Sterile Cockpit rule: no talking to the pilot and crew members or on the radio within five minutes of the airport after take-off or before landing. All on board personnel must be aware of when the pilot is communicating. Aerial Observer List: Following are actions taken prior to and during flight for aerial observers and suggested items to carry on board the aircraft during the survey. Thoughtful and considerate attitude and behavior Dark colored shirt to prevent reflection in cockpit Noise canceling radio headsets List of dispatch telephone numbers and radio frequencies Dark billed cap Attribute code list Cellular telephone Handheld radio for backup Sturdy shoes for walking out Odorless snacks Motion sickness medication/devices Overnight bag with personal items Eat light breakfast (no onions) Sunglasses Lunch Maps (backup maps as well) Pencils, erasers, and pens Notebook Jacket or coat Camera Drinking water Handheld GPS Watch Survival kit Survival kits: Minimum survival kit contents include the following: Knife Signal mirror Signal flares Space blanket Water Candles Two-day food supply Handheld radio Collapsible water bag Whistle Water purification tables Waterproof matches and/or a fire starter kit Survival kits should be designed to meet the needs of surviving in the environment you are flying over and the weather you are likely to encounter.

14 VII. Aircraft Payment Procedures CAP submits a Payment/Reimbursement Document For Aviation/Automotive/Miscellaneous Expenses (CAPF 108 (E), MAR 03) to WSFD when the aerial survey is completed. This form lists the dates of the aerial survey, number of hours flown, hourly rate charged for the survey, and fuel and oil fees. WSFD utilizes federal money from Forest Health Management Monitoring and Groundtruthing to pay CAP. VIII. Aviation Safety Communique An incident is an occurrence, other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft which affects or could affect the safety of the operation. Any incident should be reported in a timely manner in the form of an interagency SAFECOM. This is present at a joint website authored by the US Forest Service and the Department of the Interior s Office of Aircraft Services. File a SAFECOM to report any condition, observance, act, maintenance problem, or circumstance which has potential to cause an aviation-related accident. Anyone can refuse or curtail a flight when an unsafe condition may exist. Never let undue pressure (expressed or implied) influence your judgment or decisions.

15 IX. Risk Management Risk assessment is an analysis of physical hazards and operational procedures to arrive at a GO/NO-GO decision. Risk assessments support informed GO/NO-GO decisions which are the responsibility of management. The pilot retains the final authority for a NO-GO decision when safe operation of the aircraft is a factor. WSFD will reevaluate any elements in which a NO answer is derived. The following is designed to provide the aircraft user or manager a checklist to determine a GO/NO-GO decision. YES NO GO/NO-GO CHECKLIST Aircraft data card checked mission approved Pilot qualification card checked mission approved Pilot flight/duty limitations checked Manifest completed and left at departure point Weight and balance completed by pilot Mission approved by management Pilot briefed by personnel on intended mission and hazards Aircraft safety briefing provided to passengers Personnel trained and qualified for mission Flight plan completed and flight following established and operational Hazard map reviewed for low-level flights Weather forecast received and winds are within prescribed limits Cargo checked and secured Survival equipment available if required

16 A matrix for Operational Risk Management for forest health surveys developed by the US Forest Service assesses the risk of an aerial survey. WSFD will use this matrix prior to each flight by circling the risk number that corresponds to their situation. Aerial survey flights will be canceled if extreme risk is scored but will proceed if low and moderate risk is encountered. Flights will proceed if factors can be mitigated to reduce a high risk score otherwise, the flights will be canceled. Pilot Rest (select 1) URGENCY (select 1) Pilot has had no day off within last 7 days 1 Route mission at next opportunity 0 Pilot has had no day off within last 10 days 3 Needed ASAP essential for work 2 Pilot has had no day off within last 12 days 5 Urgent 3 Subtotal Life and death situation 5 Subtotal PILOT QUALIFICATIONS (select 1) Pilot has > 2000 hrs experience in this mission 1 WEATHER (select all that apply) Pilot has 1000 to 2000 hrs in this mission 2 Winds in excess of 25 knots 1 Pilot has 500 to 1000 hrs in this mission 4 Moderate or greater turbulence 3 Pilot has < 500 hrs experience in this mission 7 Rain/snow showers in forecast 4 Subtotal Ground fog 2 Thunderstorms 2 PILOT CURRENCY (select 1) Subtotal Pilot has flown this mission w/in the last 15 days 1 Pilot has flown this mission w/in the last 30 days 2 VISIBILITY (select 1) Pilot has flown this mission w/in the last 60 days 3 Visibility > 10 miles 0 Pilot last flew this mission over 60 days ago 4 Visibility > 3 miles but < 10 miles 1 Subtotal Visibility > 1 mile but < 3 miles 3 Visibility > ½ mile but < 1 mile 5 MISSION (select all that apply) Visibility < ½ mile 7 Flight can be conducted above 1000 feet AGL 1 Subtotal Flight below 1000 feet AGL required 4 Area to be surveyed is within a MOA 2 CUMULATIVE SCORE Area to be surveyed crosses 1 or more MTR s 3 Low risk 0-15 Density altitude expected to exceed 8,000 feet 2 Moderate risk Density altitude expected to exceed 10,000 feet 3 High risk Density altitude expected to exceed 12,000 feet 4 Extreme risk 46+ Survey area unfamiliar to pilot 3 Subtotal TERRAIN (select 1) Flat to rolling terrain below 7000 feet MSL 1 Rough terrain ( mountains < 7000 feet MSL) 3 Mountainous (mountains > 7000 feet MSL) 4 Subtotal X. Rescue Operations In the event WSFD aerial survey aircraft is determined to be overdue while flight following with a dispatch center, the dispatch center will follow their own aviation plan for overdue aircraft and search and rescue operations. Generally, after 30 minutes have expired and no contact with the aircraft and all reasonable efforts have been made to re-establish contact or determine the location of the aircraft, the dispatch center will initiate an aircraft search. WSFD understands that these efforts are very time consuming and expensive. Every effort will be made by the aerial observer to ensure no aircraft searches are unnecessarily initiated.

17 Section II Helicopter Operations

18 Section III Other Aviation Operations

19 Casper Interagency Dispatch Center 2987 Prospector Drive Casper, WY Fax: Cody Interagency Dispatch Center 3225 Duggleby Drive Cody, WY Fax: Rawlins Interagency Dispatch Center Northern Great Plains Interagency Dispatch Center 4250 Fire Station Road, Suite 2 Rapid City, SD Fax: Teton Interagency Dispatch Center Appendix A Dispatch Centers